A Turbocharger Is Coming To The Mazda6

Mazda just made a ton of “Zoom Zoom” fans very happy with the recent announcement that a turbocharged engine option is coming to the next refresh of the current-gen Mazda6.

The last time the words “turbo” and “Mazda6” were in the same sentence was way back in 2005 when Mazda debuted the Mazdaspeed6.

I remember being in a room with top level Mazda USA execs at a press event about a year or two after the Mazdaspeed6 ceased production.  I asked point black if the ‘speed6 would ever return and I was told “No” flat out and then the entire room laughed.

Well who’s laughing now huh?! Ok, I know that this isn’t technically a Mazdaspeed6 but its close enough so I’m still claiming this as a moral victory.  Deal with it!

So how exactly is Mazda pulling this off? Pretty simple actually.  Remember that 2.5 liter turbocharged Skyactiv engine that originally debuted in the CX-9 crossover SUV?

Well, now that same engine is going to be an option in the Mazda6.

Now, I’m not sure exactly how difficult it was engineering-wise to pull this off but if Mazda has designed these SKYACTIV engines to be interchangeable, perhaps there’s hope that Mazda could do the same thing with the MX-5 in the near future?

Or maybe Mazda could finally do a Mazdaspeed version of the current Mazda3?  I’ll try to find out more when I visit Mazda at the LA Auto Show later this month.

For more info on the turbocharged Mazda6, check out the press release below.

What do you think about this move from Mazda? Does adding a turbocharger make the Mazda6 more attractive to you? Or are you in the “Mazdaspeed or GTFO” camp?  Let us know in the comments below or tweet to us @MotorworldHype.

 

Press release:

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation announced today it will unveil a thoroughly re-engineered and refined Mazda6 sedan (known as Mazda Atenza in Japan) at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The company will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. (local time) on Nov. 29, the first of two press days. The show is open to the public from Dec. 1-10.

The Mazda6 is the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car lineup. The development team’s goal for this round of updates, the third since the model was fully redesigned in 2012, was to enhance the daily lives of people who love cars, incorporating premium details and new engineering concepts and technologies based on Mazda’s human-centered design philosophy.

The powertrain lineup adopts new technologies, including a cylinder deactivation system for the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine, to offer superior fuel efficiency and a performance feel crafted to match human sensibilities. In addition, the SKYACTIV-G 2.5T direct-injection turbocharged gasoline engine that debuted in the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV has been added to the engine lineup in North America and some other markets. Producing torque on par with 4-liter V8, this engine offers an effortless performance feel that is equal parts composure and excitement.

The concept behind the styling improvements is “Mature Elegance,” and the design team worked to raise the quality feel of both the interior and exterior, resulting in a look of greater maturity and composure. A new high-grade interior features Japanese Sen Wood, often used in traditional Japanese instruments and furniture, and other exclusive trim elements for an enhanced premium feel that is authentic to the brand. Overall the design is more distinctive, premium, beautiful and dignified, as befits the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car lineup.

The updated Mazda6 offers a wider range of advanced i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies which help the driver identify potential risks and reduce the likelihood of damage or injury. Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) can now bring the car to a standing stop and take off again when the car in front moves away, and the model also adopts Mazda’s latest 360° View Monitor. In combination with previously introduced safety features, these technologies allow drivers to enjoy superior safety and worry-free driving under an even wider variety of conditions.

The highly acclaimed VISION COUPE design concept, which the company recently unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, and the updated Mazda CX-5, which adopts the same SKYACTIV-G 2.5 with cylinder deactivation as the new Mazda6, will both make their North American debut at the L.A. Auto Show.

In line with its “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030” long-term vision for technology development, Mazda aims to use the fundamental appeal of the automobile — driving pleasure — to inspire people, enrich society and help bring about a beautiful earth. By offering an experience of car ownership that celebrates driving, the company hopes to enrich lives and build a strong bond with customers.